Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Longharde is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in the regions of Langford which were in eight counties throughout England. Longharde is a habitation name from the broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Longharde Early Origins

The surname Longharde was first found in Bedfordshire at Langford, a village and civil parish alongside the River Ivel. With multiple listings of the same village throughout England ( Bedfordshire, Essex, Nottinghamshire and as Langford Budville in Somerset), it is difficult to give a precise local for the surname's origin. However, of all of them, the village in Bedfordshire has traditionally had the highest population over the years. Some are listed in the Domesday Book as follows: Langeford, Bedfordshire; Langheforda, Essex; and Landeforde, Nottinghamshire. The place name literally means "long ford" from the Old English lang + ford. But the Nottinghamshire village could have been derived from "ford of a man called Landa" from the Old English personal name + ford. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4) There are other villages and parishes named Langford, in England but these are the oldest. The Cornwall local cannot be found today, but it is from this local that many of the family originated. Roger de Langford was sheriff of Cornwall in 1225. He took his surname from the parish of Marham Church. [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.

Longharde Spelling Variations

Longharde Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Longharde has been spelled many different ways, including Langford, Langforde, Langfort, Longford and many more.

Longharde Early History

Longharde Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Longharde research. Another 189 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 122 and 1229 are included under the topic Early Longharde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Longharde Early Notables (pre 1700)

Longharde Early Notables (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Longharde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Longharde In Ireland

Longharde In Ireland

Some of the Longharde family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Longhardes to arrive in North America: Abraham Langford, who settled in Barbados with his servants in 1680; Harry Langford settled in New York in 1679; John Langford settled in Virginia in 1651.

The Longharde Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Longharde Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.